Police release 911 call about wrong way driver on Hwy. 407
Durham police have released a 911 audio recording that captured a frantic driver reporting a vehicle travelling the wrong way on Highway 407 over the weekend.
"I'm on the 407 going east, and I was nearly hit by a car driving on the 407 east going west," the man is heard telling the operator.
- Download our app to get local alerts on your device
- Get the latest local updates right to your inbox
When asked if he saw the licence plate, the man said he did not because the vehicle was speeding. He added that he was not able to discern the type of vehicle.
"All I could see was this car driving towards me. So I moved over into the right lane and almost made me feel like I was going the wrong way, but I wasn't going the wrong way," the man told the operator.
"He was going the wrong way."
The audio of the 911 call is included in Wednesday's news release about the incident that occurred on the evening of Nov. 25. Police said it was just one of the several calls they received about the wrong-way vehicle.
Officers immediately responded and subsequently located the vehicle, a black Honda sedan. It was pulled over without incident, police said, and the driver was arrested.
He has been identified as 44-year-old Maryon Tondera from Oshawa. He is facing charges of impaired operation, fail/refuse demand, dangerous operation and drive the wrong way – divided highway.
Police said he was released on an undertaking.
"This incident could have had devastating consequences and underscores the importance of calling 911 when you suspect an impaired driver," Durham police said.
Anyone with information about the incident, including dashcam footage, is urged to contact traffic services at 1-888-579-1520 ext. 2434 or leave an anonymous tip through Crime Stoppers.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Bird flu, measles top 2025 concerns for Canada's chief public health officer
As we enter 2025, Dr. Theresa Tam has her eye on H5N1 bird flu, an emerging virus that had its first human case in Canada this year.
DEVELOPING Body found in wheel well of plane at Maui airport
A person was found dead in the wheel well of a United Airlines flight to Maui on Tuesday.
Raised in Sask. after his family fled Hungary, this man spent decades spying on communists for the RCMP
As a Communist Party member in Calgary in the early 1940s, Frank Hadesbeck performed clerical work at the party office, printed leaflets and sold books.
Ottawa police identify victim of Christmas Day homicide in Hintonburg, charge suspect
The Ottawa Police Service says the victim who has been killed on Christmas Day in Hintonburg has been identified.
Christmas shooting at Phoenix airport leaves 3 people wounded
Police are investigating a Christmas shooting at Sky Harbor Airport in Phoenix that left three people injured by gunfire.
Ship remains stalled on St-Lawrence River north of Montreal
A ship that lost power on the St. Lawrence River on Christmas Eve, remains stationary north of Montreal.
Your kid is spending too much time on their phone. Here's what to do about it
Wondering what your teen is up to when you're not around? They are likely on YouTube, TikTok, Instagram or Snapchat, according to a new report.
Bird flu kills more than half the big cats at a Washington sanctuary
Bird flu has been on the rise in Washington state and one sanctuary was hit hard: 20 big cats – more than half of the facility’s population – died over the course of weeks.
6,000 inmates stage Christmas Day escape from high-security Mozambique prison
At least 6,000 inmates escaped from a high-security prison in Mozambique's capital on Christmas Day after a rebellion, the country's police chief said, as widespread post-election riots and violence continue to engulf the country.